Lisa, 36 Russia
IT WAS THE YEAR 1991 OR 1992. WE WERE IN SOME PLACE AND WE WERE SMOKING MARY JANE. AS USUAL WE WERE TALKING ABOUT MUSIC AND ONE GUY ASKED MY FRIEND WHETHER SHE HAD HEARD “GIVE IT AWAY” BY THE RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS AND SHE SAID “YES, SURE!” THEY STARTED TO SING “GIVRWAY GIVRRRRWAY GIVVVRWAY NOW.” I WAS IN LOVE WITH THAT GUY AND BECAME ANGRY WITH MYSELF BECAUSE SHE KNEW THAT BAND AND I DID NOT. NEXT DAY I WENT TO SOME MUSIC SHOP WITH PIRATED RECORDS, WE DIDN’T HAVE SHOPS WITH LEGAL RECORDS AND FILMS UNTIL AFTER THE DISSOLUTION OF THE USSR. I ASKED THEM TO GIVE ME ALL THE AUDIO TAPES THEY HAD OF THE CHILI PEPPERS. I GAVE THEM MY LAST MONEY. THE MUSIC MADE ME CRAZY..,
WE WERE IN MOSCOW ON THE RED SQUARE WHEN THE RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS HAD A SHOW THERE FOR FREE. IN THAT TIME I WAS ALREADY A BIG FAN AND SUFFERED BECAUSE OF MY ADDICTION TO DRUGS. IT WAS 1999 AND BY THAT TIME I HAD NINE YEARS OF INTRAVENOUS DRUG USE. THAT DAY I FELT LIKE I COULDN’T GO BECAUSE I DIDN’T HAVE ANY DOSE AND I HAD TO GO TO MEET MY DEALER AND BEG HIM TO GIVE ME SOME DRUGS. BUT HE DIDN’T PICK UP THE PHONE AND I COULDN’T MISS THE CONCERT. ANYWAY I WENT TO RED SQUARE. WHEN I GOT THERE I FORGOT ABOUT THE ACHE IN MY BODY, ABOUT A BIG EMPTY HOLE IN MY SOUL AND CONSTANT OBSESSION. THERE WAS AN OCEAN OF PEOPLE, BUT ANYWAY I GOT TO THE FIRST ROW. I SIMPLY SLIPPED THROUGH THE CROWD OF PEOPLE. I’M TINY, AND THAT OCEAN SWALLOWED ME UP. THE SECURITY HAD TO TAKE ME OUT BECAUSE I COULDN’T BREATHE. IN 1999 I WAS ALMOST DEAD, AND IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF MY USAGE OF ANY DRUGS.
ONE DAY I RAN OUT OF ALL MY DRUGS AND I DIDN’T HAVE A CHANCE TO MEET MY DEALER AND I JUST SPENT MY TIME IN BED. I HAD ONE RECORD, CALIFORNICATION. OTHER RECORDS I DIDN’T WANT TO TOUCH. I DON’T KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN IT. I STAYED IN BED FOR MANY DAYS. NO DRUGS. NO FRIENDS. NO CONVERSATIONS. NO HAPPINESS. JUST LIKE AN ALIVE BODY. JUST PAIN AND DESPAIR AND HOPELESSNESS. I KEPT LISTENING AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN TO CALIFORNICATION. WHEN THE OTHERSIDE WAS PLAYING I KNEW, I JUST KNEW IT WOULD BE OKAY, THAT SOON IT WOULD BE OVER. I JUST CONTINUED LISTENING TO “OTHERSIDE” THE SONG MADE ME CALM. I STOPPED THINKING ABOUT DRUGS, I BECAME PATIENT AND BRAVE. I JUST WAITED TILL MY PERSONAL HELL WAS OVER. AND I OVERCAME IT. ON THE 7TH OF MARCH 2000 I HAD MY FIRST CLEAN DAY. I WILL NEVER FORGET THAT BED AND “OTHERSIDE.”
I WAS AT THE SHOW IN UKRAINE IN 2011. WHEN ANTHONY STARTED “HOW LONG HOW LOOONG WILL I SLIDE,” MY HANDS WERE SHAKING AND I BEGAN TO SOB LIKE A LITTLE GIRL.
Chandelle Carter, 22 New York (Right)
NO MATTER HOW MUCH I ANNOYINGLY SCREAMED EVERYONE’S NAME AND TRIED TO CLIMB THE BARRICADE, THE GUYS ALWAYS ANSWERED BACK OR WAVED. ANTHONY’S COPY OF THE SET LIST GOT HANDED TO ME BY ONE OF THE GUARDS WHO WAS ENJOYING MY INSANITY, AND WHEN I YELLED THANK YOU ANTHONY BLEW ME A KISS. IT WAS SO AMAZING TO SEE HOW NICE AND APPRECIATIVE THEY WERE OF THEIR FANS. ALL OF THIS MADE ME MORE OF A DIE-HARD.
I’M A BROOKLYN-RAISED ARTIST WHO LOVES HER FAMILY AND HER CRAZY FRIENDS. I PAINT, DRAW, SCULPT, SEW, AND DO WEBDESIGN. I WANT TO MAKE MY MOTHER PROUD. I WANT TO DO ALL THE THINGS SHE WANTED FOR ME AND MAKE SURE THAT THE LITTLE BROTHER THAT I’M RAISING GROWS UP TO BE BRAVE, LOYAL, AND TRUE TO WHAT HE WANTS, ABOVE ALL ELSE. I ALSO WANT TO SAVE UP ENOUGH MONEY TO FOLLOW THE BAND FROM SHOW TO SHOW ON THEIR NEXT U.S. TOUR AND MEET THE MEN WHO INSPIRE AND MOTIVATE ME SO MUCH.
OH, AND STADIUM ARCADIUM WAS THE BIGGEST SLICE OF GENIUS I’VE EVER BEEN HANDED.
Gabbi Katz, 25 South Africa
I’M A BLUE-HAIRED BETTY WHOSE MISSION IN LIFE IS TO CHANGE PEOPLE’S ATTITUDE IN TERMS OF STEREOTYPING PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THE WAY THEY DRESS, THE COLOR OF THEIR HAIR, OR HAVING TATTOOS.
I HAVE BEEN A CHILIS’ FAN SINCE MY EARLY TEENS, DESPITE GROWING UP IN A SMALL, CONSERVATIVE FARMING TOWN IN SOUTH AFRICA. I GUESS YOU CAN CALL ME AN MTV GENERATION KID, AND THE CHILIS’ MUSIC VIDEOS ALWAYS KICKED ASS.
IN MY HIGH SCHOOL YEARS MY GROUP OF FRIENDS WOULD OFTEN HAVE CHILL HOUSEPARTIES AND “BRAAIS,” AS WE CALL BARBEQUES HERE IN SOUTH AFRICA. SOMEONE WOULD ALWAYS HAVE AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR ON HAND AND THE NIGHT WOULD END IN US GOING THROUGH A REPERTOIRE OF SONGS, OF WHICH “UNDER THE BRIDGE” WAS ALWAYS ONE.
Cassy Reilly, 24 (Left) Paige Feltham, 24 (Right) Canada
PAIGE— ON MY BIRTHDAY ON MAY 2, 2012, I WENT TO THE MONTREAL SHOW WITH CASSY. DURING THE ENCORE ANTHONY AND FLEA STARTED ROCKING OUT RIGHT IN FRONT OF US TO “GIVE IT AWAY.” THEY CONTINUED TO BLOW MY MIND BY ADDING IN AN EXTRA LINE TO THE SONG, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAIGE!” BEST BIRTHDAY EVER, HANDS DOWN!
Marcus and James Ware, 18 United Kingdom
I WENT TO THE CONCERT IN LONDON WITH MY BROTHER. ANTHONY SPOKE TO US FROM STAGE BETWEEN SONGS. “DO I KNOW YOU GUYS?” HE ASKED. “HAVE I SEEN YOU BEFORE? I FEEL LIKE I HAVE SEEN YOU BEFORE.” THEN HE TURNED TO FLEA AND SAID “THOSE ARE MY FRIENDS FROM IPSWICH.” I ABSOLUTELY LOVE LISTENING TO THE LIVE ALBUMS. “LIVE IN HYDE PARK” IS MY FAVORITE AND I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE AT THAT SHOW. I WAS TEN YEARS OLD.
Robyn Renee Hart, 20 Massachusetts
MY FATHER, DANA HART, GAVE ME MY FIRST CHILI PEPPERS ALBUM WHEN I WAS SEVEN. IT WAS BLOOD SUGAR SEX MAGIK. I FELL IN LOVE WITH THEIR MUSIC. WHEN I WAS TWELVE, BY THE WAY CAME OUT. I WAS ELATED WHEN I RECEIVED IT FOR CHRISTMAS. I LAID IN BED THAT ENTIRE MORNING LISTENING TO THE ALBUM ON MY WALKMAN, AND READING ALONG TO THE LYRICS. I FEEL I CONNECT SO MUCH TO THIS ALBUM. IT’S DEFINITELY ONE OF MY FAVORITES!
Simone Berg, 42 Hanover, Germany
THE RHCP WERE WITH ME DURING THE BIRTH OF MY TWO DAUGHTERS. MY MIDWIFE TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD HELP TO BRING MY FAVORITE MUSIC WITH ME TO RELAX. SO MY HUSBAND CHOSE A SELECTION OF SLOWER RHCP SONGS AND I HEARD THEM THE WHOLE TIME I WAS IN THE DELIVERY ROOM.
SOME OF MY FRIENDS CAN’T BELIEVE THAT I TRAVEL ALL AROUND TO SEE MY FAVORITE ROCK BAND AND THEY REALLY CAN’T BELIEVE THAT EVERY TIME I GET A PLACE STANDING IN THE FRONT ROW.
I love being a fan.
I am a fan of so many things. Writers, athletes, musicians, filmmakers, and artists of every variety, to name a few. The joy that I get from being a fan is something that sustains me, inspires me, and gives me a reason to break out of any flavor of doldrum that might befall me. I cheer on my favorite human beings and their works with the most sincere passion and love.
Being as self-critical as I am, and always wondering how we can be better as a band, it often befuddles me that people like our band as much as they do, and the lengths they go to, to be a part of our live concert experience. The only way I can deal with this concept, to honor it, is to do my best to never let them down. I want to give them every ounce of love I can channel every time we step onto a stage, no matter if I collapse in a pool of blood and puke afterwards.
I love being a fan so much, the artists I love have mythological status in my life. They advise me in times of joy and despair, and raised me up from when I was a wee little fan till growing up into the wee little man that I am. So to the RHCP fans I can sincerely say, I am one of you.
Flea
Emma Griffiths, 26 London (102 RHCP Shows)
WHERE DO I BEGIN? THERE ARE SIMPLY TO MANY STORIES TO MENTION BUT THE HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: THE SECRET SHOW AT THE GARARGE LONDON 2002 AND MEETING THE BAND FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTERWARDS. THE AMAZING ROUND THE WORLD JOURNEY THAT STADIUM ARCADIUM TOUR TOOK ME ON AND ALL THE ADVENTURES INVOLVED. JOHN COMING OVER TO ME SIDESTAGE DURING AN ENCORE TO GIVE ME A HUG BECAUSE I WAS CRYING LIKE A NUTTER. CHAR SINGING AND PLAYING GUITAR TO ME ON MY 21ST BIRTHDAY AND MORE IMPORTANTLY MEETING AND DEDICATING A JAM TO MY 84 YEAR OLD GRANDMA. BEING IN VEGAS FOR THE NEW YEARS EVE 2012 SHOW. PLAYING FLEA’S BASS AND INTERVIEWING THE BAND FOR UNI AND MANY MORE AMAZING MEMORIES OF THE I’M WITH YOU TOUR. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, MEETING LOTS OF PEOPLE ALONG THE WAY, INCLUDING THOSE THAT I’LL BE LIFELONG FRIENDS WITH.
I’VE SEEN THE BAND 101 TIMES ALL OVER THE WORLD, IS THAT CRAZY ENOUGH? I’M A PRETTY FREE SPIRIT AND I’M A VERY PASSIONATE PERSON ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO MUSIC. I’M CLEARLY A LITTLE NUTS BUT I’D LIKE TO THINK THAT THE BEST PEOPLE ARE.
Giulia, 21 Italy
MUSIC HAS ALWAYS BEEN ESSENT
IAL TO ME. FOR EVERYTHING I CAN REMEMBER, I HAVE A SONG THAT I LIKE TO IMAGINE GOES WITH IT. OF COURSE, THE CHILI PEPPERS HAVE THEMED MANY OF MY EXPERIENCES. IN THAT WAY, THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN WITH ME DURING MY LIFE. SURELY ONE OF THE BEST EXPERIENCES WAS WHEN I HAD THE CHANCE TO MEET ANTHONY AND TELL HIM THAT I GREW UP WITH THEIR MUSIC AND THAT I HAD TO THANK THEM FOR THE SUPPORT THEY GAVE ME THROUGH SOME HARD MOMENTS IN MY LIFE.
I AM A MAKEUP STUDENT. SURELY MAKEUP CAN BE CONSIDERED AN ART, SO HERE I AM, TRYING TO BE AN ARTIST, TOO. I HOPE THIS BAND WILL KEEP ON DOING WONDERFUL MUSIC AND MAKE TONS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD HAPPY. AND YES, JOSH WILL KEEP ON BEING THE MOST ADORABLE HUMAN BEING ON THIS PLANET.
As a thirteen-year-old my bedroom was covered in posters and magazine pages of my favorite bands. Led Zeppelin, Kiss, Alice Cooper, and Black Sabbath adorned my walls. I would put the records on, staring at the album covers and pictures, trying to imagine what these musicians were like or what inspired them to make their music. To all of you in this book...I was you. I am you...I’m with you. On this last tour we were fortunate to play so many new cities all over the world (a lot of those fans are inside this book).
I’m still amazed at the response and turn out we received in all of these new countries. For this we are eternally grateful. When writing our songs in a little rehearsal room or garage, I never think about how these songs are going to affect some kid in Estonia or Turkey, or a mom in Arkansas, until they come up to me and say something like “you know that ‘Under the Bridge’ song really helped me through a really, really hard time in my life, thank you.” Red Hot Chili Pepper fans are the most dedicated, passionate, crazy, and loving people I have ever had the pleasure to meet. Not just the millions that have come to more than thirty years of shows, or the hardest of hardcore that are in this book; but also all the smiling faces I have seen from the best spot on stage (the drums!) around the world. Sometimes its dads, moms, and kids, all rocking out together that inspires all of us to play our hearts out every single night. Thank you, thank you!
I live in NYC and nearly every day I’m stopped by a fan on the street who just wants to say “I’m a big fan, thanks for all the music.” As a musician, I can’t think of a better compliment to receive.
Hopes and Dreams,
Chad
Red Hot Chili Peppers Page 9